Customer requirement

• Extreme weight sensitivity in space applications
• High qualification cost due to component count
• Mission-critical function with the smallest batch sizes

Enabled effects

• Strategic:
  Consolidating 360 parts into one reduces supply chain and qualification risks
• Manufacturing:
  Monolithic component eliminates assembly and alignment errors
• Economic:
  Major savings in test and inspection of just one part instead of hundreds, tracking of part numbers in inventory management system, faster ramp-up of production
• Compliance/QM:
  One qualification path, full digital traceability, simplified documentation

Specific solution of reference part

• Single-piece additively manufactured bracket (AlSi10Mg) with stiffening ribs for vibration resistance
• Survived 20G load testing in all axes.
• Successful test of the eigenfrequency behavior
• Weight reduced by 50%

Project spotlight

• Reference customer: TASUŞ
• Developed for a geostationary satellite
• Reduced complexity, improved reliability
• Ensured certification with one consolidated part

Inspiration for other applications
Any structural, optical, or sensitive mount where system-level qualification is required.

Customer requirement

• Ergonomic strain and precision demands in aircraft assembly
• Drilling at height and under awkward angles
• Process compliance following aviation standards 

Enabled effects

• Strategic:
  Repeatable process tool for critical upgrades and retrofits
• Manufacturing:
  Lightweight ergonomic design improves operator precision and safety
• Economic:
  Eliminates rework costs from off-position drilling, significant reduction in personnel downtime costs
• Compliance/QM:
  Certified jig guarantees drilling within spec, reduces inspection effort

Specific solution of reference part

• Additively manufactured ergonomic jig
• Integrated handles
• Lightweight core geometry
• Certified tolerances
• Series production tool for overhead assembly processes of Airbus A321 wings

Project spotlight

• Reference customer: Ascent Aerospace
• Developed to reduce time, physical strain, and rework in cabin modifications.
• Fully integrated into an aviation-certified workflow.

Inspiration for other applications
Any assembly where precision drilling is required in confined or elevated spaces.

Customer requirement

• Complex geometries required for hybrid damping elements
• Low volumes and wide material variation (shore hardness, temperature, fatigue)
• Refurbishment required for legacy hardware (remould, not replace)

Enabled effects

• Strategic:
  Extends lifecycle of legacy systems through targeted rubber-metal remanufacturing
• Manufacturing:
  Hybrid process enables removal and re-vulcanisation of elastomer layers
• Economic:
  Reduces replacement costs by remanufacturing rather than sourcing full assemblies
• Compliance/QM:
  Consistent damping values can be tailored, tested, and documented by design

Specific solution of reference part

• Rubber-metal components built or refurbished via elastomer casting onto new or cleaned metal cores
• Additive inserts enable flexible geometries without new tooling

Project spotlight

• Used in mobile defense platforms where space, durability, and comfort intersect
• Old parts restored by removing rubber and recasting

Inspiration for other applications
Any vibration-damping connection part in vehicle, defence, or industrial machinery systems.

Customer requirement

• High geometric complexity and precision with robust execution
• Small series with variant requirements
• Demand-driven manufacturing without inventory costs

Enabled effects

• Strategic:
  On-demand manufacturing avoids inventory and accelerates deployment
• Manufacturing:
  Fully functional SLS part straight from printer, no finishing or assembly
• Economic:
  No tool investment, even for mid-sized series
• Compliance/QM:
  The material and the digital process chain meet military documentation standards

Specific solution of reference part

• SLS-manufactured PA12 housing with printed connectors, functional surfaces, and fine thread
• Black coloured, mechanically stable, suitable for IP-protected electronic integration
• Delivered in short runs with flexible lead times and minimal setup

Project spotlight

• Reference customer: Send-Nods Nightvision
• Enabled manufacturer of infantry equipment to supply mission-ready systems with no molding delay
• Batch sizes produced flexibly as needed

Inspiration for other applications
All lightweight housings for sensors, communication units, or handheld tactical equipment for infantry, reconnaissance, or communication systems.

Customer requirement

• Real devices too expensive or fragile for repeated training
• Need for realistic, risk-free hands-on learning
• Modular damage scenarios must be simulated

Enabled effects

• Strategic:
  Enables training without equipment wear, decouples readiness from education
• Manufacturing:
  Additive dummy components replicate function and damage types
• Economic:
  Reduces cost of technician training by eliminating real-device repairs
• Compliance/QM:
  Training units can be standardized and documented for certification

Specific solution of reference part

• Highly realistic repair dummy replicates devices in weight, size, and functionality
• Modular parts simulate typical failures, such as broken latches, worn connectors

Project spotlight

• Reference customer: Reiser Simulations
• Developed for helicopter maintenance simulation
• Modular, robust, and intuitive to use in training centers or field academies

Inspiration for other applications
Any complex component where maintenance or repair procedures must be trained repeatedly.

Customer requirement

• Uncertain market demand and rapid iteration cycles
• Need for real-use test parts without risking tooling investment
• Path from prototype to mini-series must stay open and affordable

Enabled effects

• Strategic:
  Entire tool chain (CAD to mould to part) handled under one roof
• Manufacturing:
  AM tools used for injection moulding after vacuum casting trials
• Economic:
  Investment in tooling scaled with confidence, not speculation
• Compliance/QM:
  All production stages traceable and certifiable, even in test phase

Specific solution of reference part "JENNY 600S"

• Reference customer: SFC Energy
• Vacuum-cast prototypes followed by injection molding using AM-built tools
• Modifications done digitally without delay
• Quick ramp-up to low-volume production

Project spotlight

• Created to provide a field-compatible, compact fuel cell with flexible housing
• Path from design to function testing to small batch delivery completed within weeks

Inspiration for other applications
Any enclosure or module housing in electronics, energy, or mission equipment.

Customer requirement

• High-load structural part in a space-constrained, weight-critical environment
• Traditional welding design too heavy for modern requirements
• Production volumes too low for tooling investment

Enabled effects

• Strategic:
  Weight shifted away from low-priority parts toward armor or active modules
• Manufacturing:
  WAAM enables geometry following stress paths, minimizing waste
• Economic:
  Reduced material usage and no tooling save cost per part
• Compliance/QM:
  Full-scale testing possible with the real final geometry

Specific solution of reference part

• Wire-Arc Additively Manufactured (WAAM) support arm in high-strength low-alloy steel (HSLA) 1.8928
• Designed via topology optimisation for vertical and lateral loads
• Passed real-use stress validation

Project spotlight

• Reference customer: KNDS
• Developed for a bridge-laying system on an armored vehicle
• Built lighter with better performance
• Lowered cost
• Shortened lead time
• Increased capacity for protected systems

Inspiration for other applications
Any support structures, frames, or linkages under variable field loads.

Customer requirement

• Structural part with undefined demand and high strategic relevance
• Requires localized, secure production due to geopolitical risk
• Still in development (Technology Readiness Level 4–5)

Enabled effects

• Strategic:
  Additive digital manufacturing ensures sovereign capability in any scenario
• Manufacturing:
  Modular geometry allows fast adaptation without full redesign
• Economic:
  Toolless manufacturing reduces upfront risk in pre-series stages
• Compliance/QM:
  From TRL 4 onwards development is executed and documented according to processes designed to support future formal certification

Specific solution of reference part

• Modular high-strength structure printed additively, optimized for pressure and shear
• Designed with certification path in mind
• Test data available for upscaling

Project spotlight

• Taurulus is a technology demonstrator for mission-resilient AM structural elements
• Flexible, certifiable, and geopolitically decoupled
• Ready for scale-up as needed

Inspiration for other applications
Any component intended for long-term readiness, depot use, or remote production logistics.

Customer requirement

• Standards-compliant, part-specific documentation for every single unit
• No suitable off-the-shelf test equipment available; custom design and manufacturing essential
• A tight schedule leading up to system approval

Enabled effects

• Strategic:
  Purpose-built test benches as a key enabler for system safety, instilling confidence before the start of series production
• Manufacturing:
  Precision-engineered fixtures tailored exactly to component geometry and load requirements, capable of handling complex load paths
• Economic:
  In-house design and manufacturing eliminate the need for external tooling – enabling rapid adaptation to design changes and significantly shorter development cycles
• Compliance/QM:
  Fully digital test logging, complete traceability, and reproducible test procedures meeting all relevant standards

Specific solution of reference part

• A 3D-printed, function-integrated test fixture with defined force application, built-in sensor technology, and documented component adaptation
• The design allows fast reconfiguration for new geometries while ensuring every test is recorded to the highest compliance standards

Project spotlight

• For component testing of a defense system, FIT developed a function-integrated test bench within a short time, applying mechanical loads under realistic conditions
• Documentation and traceability met all relevant standard requirements

Inspiration for other applications
Any component requiring individual proof of performance, including structural brackets, housings, and connector carriers.